Archives for July 2015

This summer, our two youngest grandchildren went to sleep away camp for the first time. That was all the inspiration I needed to make this set of cookies! I searched online for examples of camp-themed cookies that others had made, and was lucky enough to find several photos to inspire my project. I couldn’t find any instructions, so I decided to create a simple tutorial so that you can make them too.

Before beginning any new “cookie project,” I assemble the cutters I want to use. As you can see, the shapes are very simple, but I didn’t have anything that I could use for a tent. My husband took a cookie cutter that I never use, and reshaped it to look like a tent. Even though it looks wrinkled, the cookie edges were straight and it worked fine.

I started with a batch of my sugar cookies, cutting them into the shapes I had chosen. After mixing up a batch of royal icing, I decided which colors I wanted for the cookies, and figured out the consistencies that I needed for each step in the frosting process. The consistency times for each part of the cookie are listed below:

Royal icing consistency is the one thing that everyone seems to have a hard time with (myself included). Getting it to the proper consistency is not an exact science. Life would be so much easier if an exact amount of water and sugar produced a given consistency every time. Unfortunately, it really is trial and error. If it’s too thick, you will need to add more water. If it’s too thin, you will need to add more confectioner’s sugar. There are quite a few YouTube videos that deal with royal icing consistency. Watching this video made getting the proper piping consistency a breeze. It finally “clicked.”

I decided to make transfers for the campfire and the sign to help minimize the bleeding that sometimes occurs when layering designs on a cookie. This is especially helpful when the weather is hot and humid. I started with the campfires. I traced the cookie cutter that I wanted to use on a piece of paper and drew a rough sketch of a campfire onto the shape to insure that it would fit the cookie the way I wanted it to.

I started with the logs for the campfires. I used small magnets to hold the waxed paper in place while I piped the first log. I let the first log crust for about 15 minutes before adding the second log.

Once both logs crusted, I went in and started to add the flames. I placed a small amount of yellow where the logs crossed.

Next, I added the red/orange icing roughly following the design. There is no need to be too precise.

Smooth the frosting with a needle tool or a toothpick, and then add some yellow. You may need to experiment a little to make it look like flames. This is how I did it.

Drag a toothpick or needle tool to create the flames.

Once all of the transfers have dried for 24 hours, you can add them to your frosted cookies. You may either add them to freshly frosted cookies before the frosting has dried, or you can add them to dried cookies by using a few dabs of royal icing to “glue” the transfers in place.

Next I made the signs. I made a rough sketch of a sign post, placed it under my waxed paper and piped the shape of the sign.

I then used a toothpick to pull the edges into a shape that would resemble the ends of an arrow.

Once they were dry, I piped the words onto the sign. My handwriting is horrible under optimum conditions, but these are supposed to look rustic, so I wasn’t too worried.

Do you see how white the letters are? If you look at the finished cookie you will see that the brown bled into the letters making them beige. For this project, it was no big deal. I think the problem was that I forgot to color the frosting I used for the letters. I always add white food coloring to my white frosting, but forgot this time. I think adding the white food coloring makes the icing more opaque.

Once all of the transfers have dried for 24 hours, you can add them to your frosted cookies. You may either add them to freshly frosted cookies before the frosting has dried, or you can add them to dried cookies by using a few dabs of royal icing to “glue” the transfers in place. Here you can see how the brown bled into the letters. If you add the transfers to wet cookies you will have to let them dry before you add the green grass.

I have found that the easiest way to separate the transfers from the waxed paper is to use dental floss. First you move your waxed paper to the edge of a table or counter so you can release the waxed paper from an edge of the transfer. Slip your dental floss under and edge, and while holding close to the table start moving the floss under your transfer.

For the little feet, I drew a foot on a piece of paper, slipped it under my waxed paper and piped some frosting onto the shape. I then used my needle tool (or toothpick) to make the shape look something like a foot. Next, pipe small dots of frosting to represent the toes. Drag a tiny bit of the toe to meet the foot. I only had room for 4 toes, but because it’s a silly cookie, I think it’s okay. I forgot to take pictures of the foot making process (except for this one), but here you can see some of the pitfalls. If the dots are too close they become almost web like. I made quite a few feet before I got the spacing right (like the bottom right foot). It depends on the consistency of your royal icing, and how much it flows once piped.

I didn’t take any photos of the tent cookies during the process. My workflow went as follows:

1. Draw the opening of the tent.

2. Pipe black royal icing onto cookie and put feet in place.

3. Let dry overnight.

4. Pipe tent onto cookie.

5. When dry or crusted for about an hour, pipe the outline and rolled edge at the opening of the tent. (I had used all of my brown icing on the tents so when I made more for the trim, I made it a slightly lighter brown because I knew I would never be able to match the color.

6. When completely dry pipe Z’s onto tent.

The “marshmallows-on-a-stick” cookies were the simplest. I frosted some cookies with the leftover icing from the feet transfers. Once they were completely dry, I took some brown royal icing and added the sticks. The next day, I added a drop of white royal icing on each twig and used my needle tool to coax them into something that looked like a marshmallow.

Please post pictures of your cookies, and don’t forget to tag Sugar Coated Nanagrams on Instagram (@sugar_coated_nanagrams) and Facebook! I’d love see what you create!

This past weekend was spent with our kids and their families at my daughter’s home in New York. The weather was perfect, which meant much time was spent outside biking, racing sailboats, tubing, kayaking, swimming, playing cornhole, and watching fireworks. Together we number eleven. With six adults and five children (and three dogs!), it takes a little bit of planning to ensure everyone is well fed and happy!

As a certified, card carrying Italian, I have the most fun around a table either eating great food, talking about great food or planning the next meal with the people I love. This weekend was no exception. This roasted vegetable sandwich is one of my favorites for feeding a crowd. While there is a bit of preparation involved, it is well worth the effort. Almost everything can be done in advance. Not only will that save you time, I have found that it improves the flavor, as well.

If you would like to make the recipe even less daunting, and more cost effective, purchase roasted red peppers instead of roasting your own. I am able to get a large jar of roasted red peppers for approximately $3.00, but raw peppers usually cost more than $1.00 each. Canned tomatoes (any style) may also be substituted for fresh, and will result in a more intense tomato flavor. Just make sure you drain them well before using them.

I make everything in advance and layer the peppers and the eggplant in a container with a few cloves of garlic and a little olive oil. It will last this way for at least a week in the refrigerator. I often use a sturdy ciabatta loaf and assemble the sandwiches a few hours ahead of time. It is delicious!

I hope you will give this recipe a try, and let me know if you liked it as much as Gabriella did.

To roast the red peppers, place either over a gas burner, under the broiler or in a very hot oven (450 to 500 degrees), turning frequently until the pepper skins blacken. Place the peppers in a paper bag or covered bowl until they cool. Gently peel away the skin, cut in half and carefully remove the seeds. Roasted peppers can be covered with olive oil and kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Sprinkle the eggplant slices with about one-and-a-half tablespoons of coarse salt and let stand for 30 minutes.

Place the tomatoes, onion wedges and rosemary sprig in a lightly oiled oven-proof skillet or pan, just large enough to contain the vegetables. Place the garlic, cut-side down, on top of one of the tomatoes. Generously brush the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven, tossing the vegetables lightly to coat them with oil and juices. Remove when the garlic and onion are tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes. The tomato will be very soft, its skin split.

While the vegetables are roasting, rinse the eggplant slices under cold water and dry well with paper towels. Place the slices on an oiled baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil. Bake in a 450-degree oven, turning once, until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.

Take the roasted garlic and squeeze the head to release the softened cloves into the bowl of a food processor. Add the onion, flesh of tomato, discarding the skins, one teaspoon of Sherry vinegar, two teaspoons of lemon juice (if desired) and two tablespoons of olive oil. Process, using short pulses, until the mixture is the consistency of a relish.

Brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil and lightly toast on the rack of the 450-degree oven.

To assemble the sandwiches, place a quarter of the eggplant and roasted pepper slices on each of four slices of bread, oil-side up. Spoon on about two or three tablespoons of sauce.